IGNITE 2027 · Leader Checklist

Get Your
Group Ready

Known. Changed. Sent.
Friday – Sunday
January 22–24, 2027
Roland E. Powell
Convention Center
Ocean City, Maryland
Church
Lead adult
Cell
# Youth
# Adults
Sept 14 – Oct 31
$65
Nov 1 – Dec 6
$75
Dec 7 – Jan 8
$85
On site
$95
Registration closes
Friday
January 8, 2027
Nominate an Emerging Voice
Thursday
October 15, 2026
IGNITE
Campfires
Sunday, September 27West River Center · 5:00–7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 18Camp Pecometh · 4:00–6:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 8Camp Manidokan · 4:00–6:30 p.m. · bring your own chair

1. Safe Gatherings Start first — 4–6 weeks

  • $19 per applicant — tell them you're Baltimore-Washington Conference, or you'll be charged $39
  • Pen-Del churches: confirm your rate with your conference office
  • Certification is valid three years — anyone approved before January 2024 is due again
  • Drivers also need a motor vehicle record check
  • All adults show a current certificate in my folder
Adult traveling with usRoleExpiresCert.
Ratio required by our policy: ______ adults per ______ youth

2. Your Trip Packet Build in the fall

  • Parent/guardian permission to attend
  • Medical information
  • Medication policy + permission to dispense
  • Anything else church insurance requires
  • Packing list, water bottle, spending money
  • Departure and expected return times
  • Hotel + venue address, leader cell numbers
  • Copy of church insurance policy
  • Printed tax-exemption form for hotel check-in
  • Cash advance or church card + receipt envelope
Forms due to me by: _________________
(two weeks before departure)

3. Money

  • Per-student price set and published: $________
  • Decided how leaders are covered
  • Fall fundraiser launched
  • Called by Name cards printed
  • Scholarship applied for — contact Natiya
  • Private way for families to ask for help
  • Balances collected

7. Pray It All season

  • Roster printed — praying by name
  • Congregation prayer partners recruited
  • Someone is praying for me, by name
  • Sending/blessing scheduled in worship: __________
  • Follow-up planned for the week after

4. Lodging & Travel Book by October

Before the deposit

  • Room chart built on our Safe Sanctuaries policy
  • Asked about tax exemption in advance
  • Parking spaces per room confirmed
  • Occupancy + allergy/bedding requests made
  • Kitchen & full-size fridge if cooking
  • One extra room reserved
Hotel: _________________________________
Cancel by: ______________ Deposit: $__________

Getting there

  • Drivers confirmed: age, license, MVR, coverage
  • Two drivers per vehicle
  • 15-passenger van policy checked
  • Bus booked by November (25+ youth)
  • Gas/tolls/parking reimbursement confirmed
  • Winter weather plan in writing to families
Depart: ____________ Return window: ____________

5. Feeding Them

  • Meal model chosen and told to families
  • Congregation donation list in the bulletin
  • Allergies checked — list and labels
  • Group reservations called ahead (January is off-season)
  • Cooler + ice; no outside food in the venue

6. Before You Go The week of

  • Forms + insurance copies in a two-gallon bag
  • Printed roster with parent cell numbers
  • Printed schedule for every chaperone
  • Reservation confirmations: tickets, hotel, parking
  • Meds per church policy; one adult assigned
  • Allergies reviewed with every chaperone
  • Chaperone huddle: curfew, head counts, who calls whom
  • Group communication set up, everyone added
  • Group covenant signed by students
  • Accessibility needs sent ahead
  • “I Forgot” box + first aid kit
  • Every driver: full tank, both addresses

Notes Questions to ask · who owes what

Registration & paymentChristine Trott · ctrott@pen-del.org
ScholarshipsNatiya Bennett · nbennett@pdcbwc.org
AccessibilityCheryl Cook · ccook@bwcumc.org
Emerging VoicesChristie Latona · clatona@bwcumc.org
Safe Gatheringscontact@SafeGatherings.com · 888-241-8258
Full guideIGNITEforYouth.com
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